'Men's Den' Lets Men Hide From Christmas Shopping

A Toronto-area mall has given up on enticing men to shop this Christmas season and is letting them embrace their guyness with a new "Ultimate Men's Holiday Lounge."

Plush leather recliners. Flat-screen TVs. A spot to practice their golf swing. Video games. They're all meant for men who only travel to the mall because they can't get out of holiday shopping with their partners.

"We see it in out in the shopping centre," said Lorna Murphy, marketing director of the 200-store Pickering Town Centre. "Men are sitting on benches, looking at their watches, waiting for their wives to return."

The 5,000 square foot Men's Den is open for the remainder of Christmas shopping season — and offers concierge service to help men shop, as well as wrapping.

Mike Ramawad was among the men at the den's opening on Thursday, while his partner Sandra Wellington did the shopping.

"She takes too long to look at things and I get kind of bored," Ramawad said.

Wellington was in favour, too. "It's a great concept. Just leave them here while we shop," she said.

The room is free, but donations are encouraged and go to Prostate Cancer Canada.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story used the wrong last name for Marketing Director Lorna Murphy. This version has been updated.